


Warmth

by teenage_psycho



Category: Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: Angst, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Mild Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 00:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17693816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teenage_psycho/pseuds/teenage_psycho
Summary: As Dimitri and Rose settle into their new life as the guardians of Lissa and Christian, they find it harder and harder to be happy. Lissa and Christian, while living their cushy life as royals, still have their fair share of stress. However, the shoulders of their guardians keep them comforted, as the lives of Rose and Dimitri's charges keep them motivated. Surprises come from left and right, causing even more change. But sometimes, change is a good thing.Set after the Bloodlines series, featuring lots of fluff and angst and maybe some smut (I haven't decided yet)





	1. Chapter 1

Cold.

Lissa's bedroom was frigid, and the temperature was the first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes. The second? Christian wasn't there. 

It wasn't that unusual for Christian to leave in the middle of the night. He had obligations, just as she did. She had 'queenly duties', and he had Ozera family meetings (which were held far too often). Still, Christian was gone.

And Lissa was cold. She had grown so accustomed to Christian's fire abilities that she rarely needed to be cold anymore. She needed only to ask, and he'd heat up his hands and engulf her in the warm, perfect embrace that she'd sleep in nearly every night. 

The young queen sat up in her bed, wrapping her blanket tightly around her slim body. Slipping her legs off of the bed and onto the ground, she stood up slowly, taking a moment to get her bearings. The world swirled around her, eventually slowing enough that she could flick on the light.

Lissa's room was immediately filled with bright yellow light, lighting up every corner and crevice of her extravagant bedroom. Its walls were a soft shade of pink, one that was white in certain light but pink in others. A couch was placed in an alcove, facing a small television that sported a thick layer of dust from little use. There was an enormous bookshelf next to the television, full of books that were frequently used. Her king - sized bed was pushed against the back wall, with a lacey white canopy draping down from the ceiling to gently brush the ground. The bed was covered in pillows, some of which were burned by fire at the edges. Lissa smiled when her eyes crossed over the pillows.

He does that from time to time. At night. When we're together. Having fun. Lissa smiled at the thought.

She turned and gently padded into the bathroom, standing in front of the large double vanity. Lissa traced her fingers along the cool marble counter, then grabbed her face wash. She dropped the blanket and bent over the sink. She gently scrubbed her face, then rinsed the soap away. Lissa brings a soft white towel up to her face, dabbing away the excess water.

Dropping the towel, Lissa looks at herself in the mirror. Her pale face stared back at her, her blond hair framing her face. She felt strange, and a buzzing in her pocket reminded her of why.

I'm hungry. Of course. Lissa wraps her blanket around her again, turning and walking quickly out of the bathroom, then out of the bedroom. She barely remembered to grab her tiara before leaving. Her advisors had become more and more diligent about making sure she always wore it.

As Lissa walked down the hallway, she sensed the dozens of guardians slipping off from the walls to follow her. It was creepy, and it sent shivers up her spine, but she knew they would only protect her. 

Lissa pressed the doorbell of a large, heavy wood door. It was labeled:

ANGELA THOMPSON -- HUMAN FEEDER TO HER MAJESTY, QUEEN VASILISA DRAGOMIR.

The door swung open, revealing the face of a human. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, revealing her neck that was marred with scars from years of bites. She smiled at Lissa, her face getting excited. Angela.

"Queen Vasilisa. Come in." Angela said, ushering Lissa into her suite. It was cliche, as far as royal suites went. It had nothing that particularly stood out to Lissa, except the feeder chair. Angela sat down quickly in it, and Lissa followed, sitting next to her.

Lissa gently took Angela's arm into her hands, turning it forearm up. She leaned down, sliding her fangs into Angela's skin. Angela made a gasp, and her eyes glazed over from the endorphins. 

Lissa drank from the feeder for a minute. When she finished, she pulled back. Angela had passed out. Lissa knew the orders. If a feeder passed out, you were to leave and alert a nurse. But Lissa couldn't bring herself to do that. She had to help her. Lissa had to give Angela just a burst of spirit - 

"I know what you're thinking about. Don't do it, Liss."

Lissa turned around sharply, staring up at the dark male form that had materialized behind her. Her eyes widened, and she wiped the blood from her mouth with a tissue.

The man tossed her a breath mint.

"Thanks, Christian," Lissa murmured, popping the mint into her mouth. She stood, and looked at him.

A small smirk appeared on Christian's face, and Lissa rolls her eyes.

"Where'd you go? I woke up, and you were gone."

"Oh, here, there, everywhere. Dimitri called and asked to talk to me. In person. So I'm going to see him now. He said to bring you. Want to go see the Belikovs?" Christian grinned at Lissa, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes.

Lissa shrugged. "Sure. I need to brush my teeth, but sure."

\--

Christian rapped his fist on the door. The door was normal, as far as doors go. However, it had notes taped all over it. Lissa looked at one and smiled.

It was fan mail. Dimitri and Rose had fan mail.

Christian looked at one of the notes and snorted. He shook his head. "Fan mail? Seriously?"

The door opened.

"Seriously," Rose said, grinning at Christian. "I have fan mail. You're just jealous that I have a fandom that loves me and blogs about me and you don't."

"You're right. I have people who hunted down my parents and still believe that I should be hunted down." Christian retorted.

"Okay, fire boy. Let's not bring up how much woe you've had in your life." Rose rolls her eyes and turns, walking into the apartment. 

Lissa and Christian followed suit. Lissa immediately felt an overwhelming sadness. Their apartment was, to say the least, small. The living room alone could barely hold more than a couch, a chair, and a TV. And it did; along with a desk and a bookshelf. Lissa knew what the rest of the apartment looked like from there. A small, almost unusable bathroom. A kitchen that could fit one person at a time. A bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a dresser, and half a closet. The apartment was one of the better ones, actually. Rose was unbelievably happy when she gave Lissa a tour. At least, until Lissa gave Rose a tour of her room.

Rose collapsed on the couch, laying there and grinning at Lissa and Christian. Christian gestured to Lissa to sit in the chair, and she did. Christian stood against the wall and crossed his arms.

"So, where's your godly husband?" Christian said.

"Getting a shower. He asked me to join him, but I declined. I'm not in the mood right now, you know?" Rose retorted, looking at her nails.

"Actually, you're the one who asked if you could join me, Roza," Dimitri said, entering the room. His hair hung damp on his shoulders, and he had on a white t-shirt and black training pants. The smell of his aftershave hung in the air like Febreeze. It wasn't the worst smell in the world; in fact, Lissa quite liked it. One look at Rose told her that she loved it, too.

"Tomato, tomato," Rose said, now inspecting her legs. Lissa rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Rose, you can stop sexualizing yourself. We know how absolutely gorgeous and sexy you are." Lissa sighs.

"A little too much, if you ask me. Maybe put some pants on?" Christian snaps, venom in his voice. Lissa looks closer at Rose, noticing that her fashion choices consist of one of Dimitri's t-shirts and red lace panties.

"Don't judge me, Christian. I can be who I want to be, with or without your damn approval." Rose fires back, glaring at him.

"Okay, Roza, calm down now." Dimitri's accent was thick today, Lissa noticed. Rose noticed too and grinned.

"Nice accent there, sexy," Rose purred gently. Dimitri rolled his eyes, but smiled softly.

Lissa sighed gently. To be honest, she'd like to go back to sleep. All things considered, it isn't in her best interests to be sitting in Rose and Dimitri's stuffy apartment where the two of them are flirting while Christian makes fun of them. Without thinking, she closed her eyes.

Soon enough, she heard Christian's voice calling her name. "Liss? Baby, if you wanted to go home you should have told me. Wake up, Liss. We'll go home. Okay? Rose wanted to tell you something. She can tell you in the morning."

Lissa opened her eyes and looked at Christian. He was kneeling beside her, gently stroking her hair and cooing to her. His one hand was gently rubbing her arm, warmth radiating from his palm.

"Hi, Christian... How long did I sleep?"

"An hour. What do you want to do, Liss? Go back to our apartment?" Christian says.

Rose scoffs. "Apartment? More like penthouse."

Christian rolls his eyes, but ignores her. "Rose wanted to talk to you about something. But it's all up to you, okay?"

Lissa nods gently. "I want to go back to the penthouse." Lissa smiles at Rose.

"Fine, Lissa, but promise you'll come over when my shift is done," Rose demands, hands on her hips.

Lissa nods again. "Can't you tell me when you're on duty?"

"Hell no. The last time I tried to socialize, Adam yelled at me. It's not like I was being reckless!" Rose says furiously.

"Actually, Roza, you are reckless," Dimitri says, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Rose groans. "Why is everyone against me here?! I totally could have protected her."

"I don't doubt that. But your impulse makes you reckless. That's why I still train you." Dimitri says softly.

"Which is completely unnecessary. I passed my exams! I'm the best around. Nothing's going to ever keep me down."

Dimitri sighs, and Lissa gives him a smile. They both know how futile it is to try to argue with Rose. Rose grins, knowing that she's beaten both of them.

"Lissa, we should go now. You need your beauty sleep, and Rose can talk to you in the morning." Christian interjects, wrapping his arm around Lissa's waist and holding her to him. Lissa nods, and Christian walks her to the door.

"See you in the morning, Liss!" Rose calls.

"Later, losers," Lissa smiles back at her and waves. As Dimitri walks forward to close the door behind them, Christian yanks one of the letters off of the door, sprinting away. Rose shrieks, and runs out into the hallway after him.

"Don't hurt him, Roza, or you'll go to jail," Dimitri calls after her. Rose groans and stops. She sulks back to him and Lissa.

Pouting, Rose mutters, "He stole my fan mail."

"IT'S MINE NOW!" Christian yells, laughing maniacally. Lissa smiles and hugs Rose.

"It's okay, Rose. I'll write you some fan mail." Immediately, Rose perks up. Lissa laughs and walks down the hallway after Christian.

Time for some more beauty sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Christian and Lissa walked back into their own apartment.

Penthouse, Lissa reminded herself. She wanted to be a good friend; she wanted to acknowledge how sad Rose was about her house. Being Rose's best friend, she knew her hopes and dreams. Rose had always wanted to live, happily ever after, in a big house.

Unfortunately, that's not quite possible.

While Lissa was busy being sad for Rose, Christian had turned on ballroom music. Christian took Lissa's hands. "Queen Vasilisa, may I have this dance?"

"Of course, Lord Ozera." Lissa smiled softly and placed a hand on his shoulder. He followed suit and placed his hand on her waist. They clasped their hands together and Christian began to sway. He gently moved Lissa to him and back, and all around the room.

They remained silent, not saying a word. They rarely had quiet moments like this, and Lissa kind of liked it. She removed her hand from his and draped it around his neck. She stepped closer to him, looking up into his piercing blue eyes. Lissa's mouth slowly stretched into a smile, baring her fangs. Christian bent down and pressed his lips to hers gently.

Lissa kissed him back gently, with zero hesitation. Christian lifted her up, and Lissa responded by wrapping her legs around his waist. They kissed quickly, desperately, Lissa knotting her fingers in his hair.

They made their way to the bed, and Christian immediately lit a pillow on fire. Lissa gasped and hit his arm gently.

"Christian! I told you to stop doing that. It looks bad on my reputation."

Christian grinned, letting the fire burn the edges of the pillow before blowing it out. "I thought you liked it. I thought you thought it was sexy."

She laughed gently. "Not really. It just burns my pillows. I think it's funny, though. When Rose first saw a burnt pillow, you should have seen her reaction. She had a heart attack and nearly screamed."

Christian rolled his eyes and pulled her to him. He held her to his chest, sighing. "Sleep now, Lissa. You need to sleep. Are you cold?"

Lissa nodded. Immediately, Christian heated up his hands and rubbed her arms. Sighing, Lissa cuddled into him, closing her eyes. Soon, she had fallen asleep, surrounded by warmth and the smell of Christian's cologne.

\--

When Lissa opened her eyes, she was instantly blinded. The sunlight streaming through the window tingled her skin, and she made a soft noise of discontent.

Normally, Lissa would strongly disagree with being awake during the day. Not only was she a vampire, but she was also Polish. Blond hair, fair skin. In addition, an extreme light sensitivity.

Christian stirred and looked at her. "Morning, sunshine." He gently kissed her forehead. "Rise and shine."

Grumbling her discontent, Lissa closed her eyes again. She buried her face back into his chest.

"We have to get up, Liss. You have queenly duties to attend to."

Great, Lissa thought to herself.

Christian pulled himself from her, getting up. He hissed at the exposure to the sun, and swiftly pulled the curtains shut. Lissa sighed gratefully and slid out of the bed. After stretching for a moment, Lissa walked to her closet.

"I guess I'll need a dress. I really want to wear shorts and bunny slippers today..."

"What, no shirt? I'm certainly not objecting." 

Lissa glared at him, searching through her closet. She emerged holding an emerald dress and a pair of silver heels. Setting them down on the bed, she pulled off her pajamas. Christian wolf whistled at her, and Lissa immediately hurled one of the high heels at him. Laughing, Christian dodged it expertly. 

"That was a Rose move, Princess," Christian said.

Rolling her eyes, Lissa pulled on the dress. She strapped the one heel to her foot, then looked at Christian expectantly.

"Well? Don't leave me here like Cinderella."

The heel is tossed back onto the bed and strapped to Lissa's other foot. Lissa turned and looked in the mirror. She smiled.

"I look good," Lissa said softly. She spun, letting the skirt that falls just above her knees float around her. Christian strode up behind her, placing his hands around her waist. Lissa smiled softly and gasped when he lifted her up. He spun, whipping her around so that both her skirt and her hair fly weightlessly about her. 

Lissa laughed happily, shrieking. "Christian!"

When Christian finally set her down, Lissa stumbled from nausea. He caught her, pulling her to him. Lissa rested her head on his chest and smiled softly.

"Okay, gorgeous. Go brush your teeth. Morning breath." Christian said. After a second, Lissa gave in. She went to brush her teeth. When she returned, she found Christian wearing a suit.

Lissa instantly fell head over heels for Christian all over again. She walked over to him and gently ran her fingers across his chest, pausing to feel the material of the jacket.

"Do you like what you see, then?" Christian asked, arrogance wrapping his voice as though it were a snake.

His arrogance and blatant love of the way he looked only strengthened Lissa's attraction to him, as strange as it sounds. Lissa smiled at him and nodded.

"I do. You look... handsome. Neat. I like it. It's different, but good."

Christian grinned and grabbed her hand. "Get your purse, Princess. You have a meeting to get to."

Pouting, Lissa made her way to the door and the coat rack. The coat rack gave Lissa her purse quickly, and Lissa quickly shuffled through the purse to make sure everything was there. When she found that it was, they departed.

\--

The guardians refused to stay more than ten feet away from Lissa, and it was driving her to the brink of insanity. She held her head high, making sure not to let her crown slip from her head. Christian walked beside her, holding her hand. He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, and kissed her temple.

Thank you, God, for giving me Christian, Lissa thought. She realized that it had been nearly three weeks since she had so much as stepped foot inside of a church. Instantly, she felt an overwhelming sense of regret. She tried to be a good person, but it was hard to be the queen and make room to go to church.

Sensing her mood shift, Christian wrapped his arm around her waist. He held her to him for a moment. "Are you okay?"

Lissa hesitated. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Though not quite convinced, Christian let the subject fall, of which Lissa was grateful for. Lissa looked at him, turning on her spirit to look at his aura,

Instantly, her eyesight was filled with color. She remembers how the first time seemed blinding; now, she doesn't even think about it. Christian's aura was edged with darkness -- fear, sadness, anger. 

In a strange way, the darkness made her happy. It had faded, replaced by brighter colors. When she had first looked at Christian's aura after Adrian had taught her how to, it had been almost completely black. It had already started to lighten up, so Lissa could only imagine what it had looked like before they met.

That thought alone terrified her. She quickly turned of the spirit, letting the colors of the world come back and the colors of others fade away. 

They had come to a car, and Lissa and Christian climbed inside. It was a limo; it had a mini - fridge and every snack you could think of. Naturally, Christian found chocolate covered bacon truffles immediately. Lissa rolled her eyes.

"Those are gross," Lissa said.

"They're delicious."

"Not really..."

"Have you tried them?"

"No. And I hope to never." Lissa said, crossing her arms.

"Then you can't talk," Christian retorted, popping a truffle into his mouth.

After a minute, Lissa had given in to the pull, and retrieved a Sprite from the fridge and a brownie. She quickly took a bite of the brownie, sighing gently. She ate the brownie slowly, and pouted when it was gone.

"I want more, Christian..."

"Then eat more."

"But I can't..." Lissa bursted into tears. Christian looked at her with a eyebrows raised.

"Liss? What the hell?" Christian wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head against his chest. Lissa cried softly, and she couldn't figure out why.

"I don't know..."

She could feel Christian's confusion, and her own. When she finished crying, she looked at him.

"I don't know what just happened, Christian." Lissa murmured, looking up at him. Christian smiled gently and wiped his thumb against the corner of her mouth. He brushed away a brownie crumb that had attached itself to the outside world.

"It's okay, Lissa. It's okay." Christian said. Lissa turned on her spirit, and saw how his colours had changed to worry and almost fear. Turning it off immediately, Lissa sat up.

"We're here," Lissa said.

Time for a meeting, Lissa said, I hate being queen.


	3. Chapter 3

The tips of Lissa's fingers burned where she had picked the skin clean off of them. She hated that she did this to herself, but it was the only way that she could make it through such ridiculous meetings without yelling at each and every one of her advisors.

"Queen Vasilisa, this law... It has been around for years. It has never been a problem before. Why should it be one now?" a man asked. He was an Ivashkov and had a thick British accent. That was uncommon in and of itself, as the Ivashkovs are not from England.

"Lord Ivashkov, it's a matter of my position on the throne. I try to be unbiased in this situation. You see, the majority of the people of the Moroi court are satisfied with the way I have been ruling. To keep the people happy, we must get rid of the family law. What we are doing to my sister is cruel. She doesn't deserve to be in hiding so that I may be safe." Lissa said smoothly, looking at the man.

The room erupted with murmurs, most of which are in awe of Lissa - how selfless she is, how intelligent. Lissa blushed gently at the sudden attention.

"I agree with Queen Vasilisa. The girl should not have to hide because of a century-old law. If we conclude to keep the law, the people will be furious. Should we not avoid this kind of upset? The people would protest. They'd go on killings. I refuse to have my name written on the list of those who kept our community from having the best queen our world has ever seen." a Dashkov woman said. Lissa made eye contact with her and nodded gently.

"Thank you, Lady Dashkov. You made an excellent point there that I myself had not even considered." Again, more murmurs. Lissa smiled at Lady Dashkov. It was a lie; Lissa had thought of that before. However, it made her seem selfless and kind. It made her selfless and kind.

"Are we ready to vote, then?" Lissa said, looking around the court. A chorus of yeses met her voice, and Lissa smiled. She gestured to a man standing in the corner; he was a servant, but he was in charge of tracking the polls of every vote taken. The man stepped forward with a scroll of paper.

The man spoke with a thick Russian accent. "It is now time to vote. The question at hand is whether or not the old family law that requires a monarch to have another family member in order to take their position on the throne. This is directly impactful to Queen Vasilisa's monarchy. The Badica family will now cast their vote."

"Aye."

After scribbling something down on the scroll, the man spoke again. "The Conta family will now vote."

"Aye."

"The Ozera family will now vote."

"Aye."

It went on like this, everyone voting yes, until the last two remaining were Lissa and the Ivashkov.

"The Ivashkov family will now vote."

Lord Ivashkov gave Lissa a scrutinizing look before casting his vote. "Nay."

Lissa nodded. The man scribbled again. "Now for Queen Vasilisa's vote."

"I abstain," Lissa murmurs. There's a collective gasp of shock; no one could have expected Lissa to refuse to vote. "I feel that I should not be allowed to decide whether or not I stay on the throne. I believe that it is, and always should be, the right of the people to decide if I am a good ruler.

The man nods. They all look at Lissa with shocked expressions, and Lissa smiled gently. "It seems that we have a vote of 10 - 1 with one abstention. The family law now has no power."

Lissa smiles brightly. "Thank you all," she said, "I must depart." 

She stands, and the room drops to their knees. Lissa walks out, her guardians following her.

\--

"How'd it go, Liss?" Rose asked. She had been waiting outside with Christian and Dimitri. Lissa grinned.

"Perfect. The family law is dead."

Rose screamed happily. "Yes! Good job, Liss!" Laughing, Lissa hugged Rose gently. "Come on. Adrian called and told us all to go over to his house up in Maine. We can take the private jet!"

Lissa nodded, but her mind was on other things. "That night... what were you trying to tell me? When I fell asleep?"

"Oh... Dimitri should tell you. He knows more than I do."

Lissa turned to Dimitri. Dimitri sighed and shook his head. "Rose and I have planned a trip to go visit my family in Russia. We plan to leave next Friday and be back the next Monday.

After thinking for a moment, Lissa realized something. Lissa and Christian had already planned a trip those days, and they needed Rose and Dimitri to guard them. She had to tell them, but Rose looked so excited. "Um... That sounds great, but maybe... maybe reschedule?"

"We can't, Liss! This is the last weekend Viki has at home before she has to go back to school." Rose said, confusion lining her voice. "Why, do you not want us to go?"

"Well... Christian and I already planned a trip then..."

Rose's eyes widened. "We can't go. We have to go to Russia."

"I'm sorry, Rose... I need you and Dimitri." Lissa felt awful. Rose had so little in her life, and to take away what little she had made Lissa feel cruel.

"Roza. It's okay. There are other weekends." Dimitri said gently, wrapping an arm around her. Rose sighed and placed her head against his chest.

"They come first..." Rose whispered, and Dimitri rubbed her arms with his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Rose. Can we just go to Maine now?" Lissa asked, grasping her hands together tightly. Rose nodded softly, and off they went.

But Lissa couldn't get Rose's pain-stricken face out of her head. I did that to her, Lissa thought.

\--

Christian gently rubbed Lissa's thighs. Though there were plenty of seats throughout the private plane, Lissa had found a comfortable spot sitting on Christian's lap. Christian had no objections; instead, he simply savored it. For the past hour, Christian had been putting his hands all over her body.

Lissa found it comforting, but she swatted his hand away if it floated too close to her more private sections. She kissed his temple gently.

Rose and Dimitri, meanwhile, were sitting next to each other, only barely holding hands. Rose was scrolling through her Instagram feed, while Dimitri read one of his cowboy novels. Lissa watched Rose look over Dimitri's shoulder to see what he was reading, and started laughing hysterically. 

"Dimitri Belikov!" Rose screamed, laughing. "What the hell are you reading?!"

Dimitri looked at her, face reddening. "It's a part of the storyline."

"What, is it Fifty Shades shit?" Christian said, interested all of a sudden.

"Dimitri's reading a lemon!" Rose laughed hysterically, glowing.

"I'd like to say that Rose read all three of the Fifty Shades of Gray books when she was 15 and loved them. Also, I'm pretty sure she owns all three books and reads them over and over again." Lissa said, smiling. Rose threw her head back and laughed.

"Hey, now. They're good books. Quality." Rose said, laughing happily.

"I've read them, too. They're decent." Christian said. There was a moment of silence, then Rose started laughing.

"Aw, poor little fire boy. A little virgin baby who has no friends. That's the greatest thing I've ever heard. Now we can fangirl together, Fire Ass!" 

Christian rolled his eyes. "Rosie, shut up."

Rose glared at him. "Don't call me Rosie. That's gross."

Lissa gently kissed Christian's cheek. "Shh. Leave her alone."

Christian groans, but complies.

"Roza, I'm never letting you look over my shoulder ever again. Especially when I'm on my laptop." Dimitri said, looking at her with soft eyes. Rose grinned, and the double meaning hit Christian and Lissa.

\--

Once the quartet arrived in Maine, Adrian met up with them. He was holding a stupid sign as though he were a chauffeur, standing in front of his car. He grinned at them. As they got closer, Lissa could read what it said. It read:

I'm looking for the Queen, Little Dhampir, a Fire Boy, and a Russian God (AKA Agent Boring Borscht).

"Hey, girls. You're both looking as beautiful as ever." Adrian strode forward, hugging Rose and Lissa tight. He kissed the tops of their heads. Christian crossed his arms, jealousy spreading across his face like a disease.

"Christian, he's married. And he has a kid. Cut us some slack. Hugs are allowed, Fire Ass." Rose said, glaring at him.

"At least Dimitri's being nice," Lissa said.

Dimitri looked at them. He had his tough guardian mask on, scanning for danger. "Roza, you have to look around. Be alert. This isn't social hour."

"Lighten up, Dimitri! He's like my brother. You'd hug your sisters."

"Not if I were on duty." Dimitri looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"God, Dimitri. You're so annoying."

"I'm your mentor. I'm teaching you."

"I graduated!"

"You can always learn more."

Rose rolled her eyes, turning away from him. She linked her arm with Adrian's, and started walking with him. Adrian looked back at them and grinned. Dimitri shook his head and followed.

"No, Adrian. You have a wife." Rose said, and Lissa noticed that Adrian's hand had found a resting place on Rose's butt. Lissa heard Dimitri make a noise of both discomfort and disgust.

"What?! I would never!" Adrian grinned, laughing.

"Okay, okay, stop. Dimitri's got this body claimed. I mean, I've seen your underwear. Silk. Honestly, what else would you wear? How does Sydney feel about it?"

"Sydney doesn't dwell on the trivial things. She prefers what hides underneath the underwear more than the underwear itself."

Rose snorts. "Holy shit, Adrian."

"You're a ton curvier than Sydney. If only I could put Sydney's personality in your body. Or you guys could be sister wives." Adrian said, squeezing Rose's butt.

"Hey. Stop. Seriously, Adrian." Rose looked up at him. Lissa glanced at Dimitri. His jaw was clenched, hands curled into fists.

"Aww, Rose..." Adrian said, pouting. Rose shook her head, and pulled herself away from him. Adrian looked at her, and Rose shook her head again.

"No, Adrian. No." she said, taking a step back from him. Rose backed into Dimitri, and Dimitri's arms quickly wrapped around her protectively. Rose looked sadly at him. "Adrian, I ship Sydrian and Romitri. I don't ship Rodrian."

"I second that one," a voice said. A woman was walking towards them, her long blond hair braided back. She was wearing a black blazer and leggings, holding a small boy.

"Hey, Sage," Adrian said, turning to hug her. Sydney hugged him back gently, shifting Declan to her hip. Adrian grinned and planted a kiss on Declan's forehead, then on Sydney's lips. 

"Adrian," Sydney murmurs, "were you trying to cheat on me?"

"Never, Sydney. I was just messing around. You know I would never dare."

Sydney nodded, and kissed Adrian again. She pulled back, and set Declan on the ground. Declan toddled over to Lissa immediately and reached up to her.

"Up," Declan said. He tugged on Lissa's dress. Smiling, Lissa scooped Declan into her arms. Declan was so sweet, and so lovable. He smiled at Lissa, and hugged her.

"Wissa. Qween Wissa. Auntie Qween Wissa." Declan stumbled, wrapping his fist in her hair. Lissa gently kissed Declan's forehead.

"Oh, Declan. You're so sweet..." Lissa said gently, and a strange feeling knotted her stomach. It was weird, a motherly instinct. She held him close to her chest, closing her eyes.

Sydney opened her car door and climbed into the driver's seat. "Okay, all. Climb in."


	4. Chapter 4

The table seemed to bow under the weight of all of the food. Sydney was seated at the tail of the table, Adrian at the head. Lissa, Christian, Rose, and Dimitri were sitting next to them on either side. 

Adrian looked far too pleased with himself.

"Adrian, will you say grace?" Sydney said softly. Her religion still remained a very important aspect of her life, even after everything that had happened to her in re-education.

When Adrian nodded, Rose snorted. "Since when have you decided to be a good religious boy?"

"Since Sydney made me," Adrian said, grinning at Sydney. Sydney rolled her eyes.

"It's important. Not just for God, but for ourselves. It gives us hope that someone's helping us." Sydney said softly.

"That's bullcrap. I believe in independence," said Rose, defiance shining in her eyes.

"Roza," Dimitri murmured.

"It's okay, Dimitri. Rose has a point. If everyone in the world sat back and relied on a superior being, we'd all be dead. I think it's important to have a healthy mix of religion and self - reliance." Sydney said, sitting up in her seat.

"Well said, Sage, well said," Adrian said, grinning madly at her.

"Thank you, Adrian. Now please say grace. I'm sure Rose is starving." Sydney said, glancing at Rose.

"You got that right," Rose muttered, crossing her arms.

"Dear God. I hope you heard that whole argument, and send Sydney to heaven for being intelligent. Send Rose to hell because she cares more about food than being your loyal follower. Also, send me to heaven because I'm a good religious boy. Bless us all, except Rose, and also bless this food. But make it something Rose doesn't like so she suffers."

"I'll eat anything, Ivashkov, and you know it."

"Pfft. Whatever. Anyway, blah blah blah, Amen." Adrian finished, still looking far too pleased with himself.

At the conclusion of Adrian's speech, Rose dove for the food. She shoveled anything she found onto her plate, then continued to snarf it all down so fast that it was a wonder that she didn't have indigestion.

Christian rolled his eyes and ate his food, Lissa gently shifting closer to him so he could warm her. She was, after all, wearing but a sleeveless dress and a tiara. Christian wrapped an arm around her and held her close to him.

The guardians stationed around the room tensed up at the contact, but remained silent. Lissa secretly hated the way her royal guardians acted around her. They acted as though she were simply a material thing, something like a diamond or treasure, that needed to be protected at all costs.

Really, it was only Christian that treated her as a living, breathing thing. Even Rose tended to act like the guardians sometimes. She prevented Lissa from doing most anything that Rose would have thought fun ten years ago. But that was before she married Dimitri and became an official guardian.

But Christian... Christian understood her. Maybe it was because she understood him, or because they simply clicked together, but they were perfect for each other.

Rose yelped and broke Lissa out of her pensive moment. "Stop it! This Dragozera fluff has gone on long enough."

"I like Dragozera fluff. We're cute together, Rosie." Christian said, tilting his head to the side, challenging Rose. He was gently rubbing Lissa's arms.

"Fluffy stuff is gross. Sure, you might be cute together, but that doesn't mean you can go and cuddle. Especially while I'm eating."

"And we don't 'cuddle', Roza?" Dimitri said, glancing at her.

"Well, we do, but not on display."

"I think you guys 'cuddle' on display. He literally called you Roza. Tell me that's not fluffy. Say it with a straight face." Adrian said, grinning madly again.

"Calling me Roza is not fluffy," Rose said, crossing her arms defiantly.

"She's a guardian. Of course she can do that. It doesn't count." Christian said. "Look at Belikov's straight face. He never smiles."

Seemingly to prove Christian's point, Dimitri locked his jaw harder and looked around the table solemnly.

"Dimitri, you can eat now. You don't have to wait until you're off duty. Rose isn't." Lissa said gently, ignoring the argument spiraling around her.

"That is very kind, your highness, but I have to decline your offer. I am on duty. I should not even be seated at Lord and Lady Ivashkov's table." Dimitri said quickly, standing.

Adrian snorted. "Since when have you called me Lord Ivashkov? I'm your cousin."

"You're royalty. I'm a dhampir. Respect is to be shown."

"Belikov, my uncle knocked up your mom. More than once. We're related. Come on, Agent Boring Borscht." Adrian said, arms crossed.

Dimitri remained silent, pushing his chair in and backing up against the wall. Lissa turned and glared at Christian.

"Tell him he can have a break. Look at Rose. She needs time with her friends. Especially her husband." Lissa said sharply, glaring daggers at him.

"Fine! Dimitri, you can have a break," Christian said.

"I've already taken my break this week, Lord Ozera," Dimitri said softly.

Rose whirls and glares at Dimitri. "Don't you dare. Take the break and sit your ass down. Eat food and enjoy yourself for once. We're both overworked, but if you just sat down and relaxed for just one moment in your life, we could be happy together during a time other than at home. Which is rare in itself."

Lissa looked at Rose in shock. She never fathomed that their marriage was under strain, and it made her nervous. She glanced down at the ring on her left hand and sighed.

Would her wedding to Christian that was scheduled in just a few months end up as stressful as Rose and Dimitri's?

\--

Flashback: One year before the previous scene.

Lissa curled up tighter to Christian, her fingers gently tracing the palm of his hand. The trees in the park were decorated with the brand new flowers of spring - pink and green and white. Birds of all different kinds were singing, their songs floating through the air before disintegrating.

Lissa felt a strangely shaped cube in Christian's pocket. She had already come up with dozens of possibilities for what it could be. None of them seemed plausible, except one.

Could it be a ring? Will he propose? Oh, no. If he proposes, what will I say? What will I do? Should I cry? Lissa thought.

Lissa began to stand, and Christian grabbed her wrist tightly. When she turned to look at him, she was met with a desperate look.

"Lissa, wait, I-"

"Christian. I want to go home."

"One moment, Liss, plea-"

"I feel sick, Christian. I'm sorry."

"You don't understand, I-"

"Christian."

"Lissa!" Christian said sharply, "Will you sit down and stop being so selfish? I finally plucked up the courage to even carry this stupid thing in my pocket. Put someone else before you for once."

Lissa, shocked to the bone, sunk back onto the bench. Christian stood immediately, and crossed his arms. She had never seen him this way, his eyebrows furrowed with worry. Except when he was helping Lissa through a spirit attack.

His bright blue eyes shone, his black hair ruffled gently. Christian shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the thing Lissa had felt earlier.

Her guesses had been correct.

Christian sunk down onto one knee and looked up at her. "Vasilisa Dragomir. I know you're the queen, and I'm merely your disciple. But I've never known anyone like you." Christian looked embarrassed, and looked down at the ground. He opened the ring box slowly.

The inside of the box was velveted fabric, and it looked soft enough to wrap a newborn in.

Newborn, Lissa thought. She could almost see her future with Christian. It was as though her spirit had opened a gateway, and all she needed to do was brush away a curtain and she could see how their lives would go.

She began focusing, trying to see. Christian, however, snapped her back to reality.

"Well? Will you? Marry me, that is?"

Lissa blinked, and that's when she finally noticed the ring.

It was silver, polished and shining. The silvery metal seemed to embrace a jade green gemstone in the center of the ring; the same shade of green as her eyes. Lissa looked up at him, then back down to the ring.

"Christian..."

"Lissa, it's okay. If you don't want to get married, that's fine. We can be boyfriend and girlfriend. It's okay."

"No, Christian. I mean, yes. I mean, no to not getting married. I say yes to your proposal. I want to marry you."

Christian's eyes lit up, and he grinned. "Great. Amazing. I mean, I love you." Christian said, and slipped the ring onto Lissa's left hand. He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up. He swung her around, then hugged her tight to him.

Lissa laughed, and kissed his cheek gently. Christian pouted for a moment, and Lissa finally gave in.

They kissed all the way home.

\--

Back to the Present

Blinking out of her flashback, she found everyone staring at her.

"Oh. She's back." Rose said gently, inspecting Lissa. "What happened, Liss?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking, and I had a flashback. A good one. I'm okay."

"Lissa, I think you should go get a shower and go to bed. Okay? You look very pale and most definitely terrified out of your mind."

"Okay..." Lissa said softly, standing. Immediately, they all stood, too. It was custom to stand in respect for the queen. As Lissa began walking away, they all sunk to their knees. Christian followed behind Lissa. "Guys... Just sit down. You don't need to do that. I hate that." They obliged to Lissa's words.

"Come on, Lissa. Let's go to bed." Christian said, taking her hand into his. Lissa rested her head on his shoulder, and they left the dining room. 

\--

Lissa had been given the largest room in the Ivashkov estate, though she didn't want it. It was on the second story, for added protection from threats. Inside the room sat the usual things - a bed, a dresser. But the most spectacular thing in the room was the grand double french doors that led to a gorgeous balcony. 

Lissa had already closed them, though, and drawn a curtain across all of the windows. It was technically daytime, but it was vampire night. She knew that Adrian and Sydney were on a human's schedule, and that's why there was so much sun.

Sydney was a human, after all.

After taking a hot shower, she returned to the bedroom. There, she found Christian laying on the bed, shirtless.

He was wearing only boxers, and flipping through Netflix. Lissa walked around to the other side of the bed, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror for a brief second.

Soft flannel pants hugged the curves she wished she had, and she wore a tank top that skimmed her midriff. Lissa crawled onto the bed and collapsed in exhaustion. Christian turned to her, grinning.

"Hey, beautiful," Christian said gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his hand on the small of her back. He slowly brought her towards him, gently holding her to his body.

Lissa sighed gently, and burrowed her face into his chest. She breathed him in slowly, sighing once more.

"I love you so much, Christian," Lissa murmured. Christian laughed gently, and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too, your highness," Christian knotted his fingers in her hair, holding her close.

"Good night, Christian."

"Good night, Liss."


	5. Chapter 5

Lissa woke suddenly to shouts and yelps. She shot up, looking around fearfully. Christian was sitting calmly in an armchair.

"It's okay, Liss. Just Rosie training with Dimitri. I think Adrian's out there, too. Probably being destroyed." Christian said, and Lissa nodded.

"What time is it?"

"10 pm. You slept late. I wanted to let you sleep."

"Okay..." Lissa murmured. "I guess I should get ready. Adrian said he wanted to take us to an amusement park today. Which will be interesting, to say the least."

"Yep. Adrian and Rose came bursting in here at 5 yelling that they wanted to go then. But I made them leave."

Lissa laughed groggily, and ran her fingers through her hair. It had dried overnight, so now it was the soft, fluffy texture that she loved so much. Slipping out of bed, Lissa yawned softly. She made her way over to her suitcase, where she pulled out a pair of ripped jeans and a floral t - shirt. 

When she came out of the bathroom after dressing, she found Rose sitting on her bed and grinning.

"Hey, Lissa. It's my day off. And Dimitri's. So we get to enjoy ourselves for once!" Rose laughed happily, and began jumping on Lissa's primly made bed.

"I've actually filed so that you can get our entire visit off. And I filed for Dimitri, too."

"Really?! God, I love you." Rose cried, and pulled her onto the bed too. Soon, they were both jumping on the bed, messing it up to the point of no return.

The door opened, revealing Adrian, Christian, and Dimitri, who was towering over them.

"Hey, losers. Come join us!" Lissa said, dissolving into laughter. Christian crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, and Dimitri melted into the corner. Adrian, however, climbed onto the bed obligingly.

Adrian took Rose's hand and spun her around, dipping her. Rose was laughing merrily, and they all heard Dimitri make a sound of discontent from his dark corner.

"Calm down, Belikov. I'm married, and not interested in stealing your wife." Adrian said, then took both girls' hands and spun them both around. "You either, Ozera."

"Can I join?" a soft voice said. Adrian grinned knowingly, not even turning around.

"Of course, Sage." Adrian said, helping the girl with dirty blonde hair up onto the bed. She was holding Declan on her hip.

"Sage isn't even my name anymore. You married me, remember?" Sydney said, looking up at him with big brown eyes.

"Yes, Celery Stick. I remember. We ran around Vegas and then somehow ended up married."

"It wasn't that random."

"Sorry, Bread Pudding, I just remember it that way."

"We were escaping."

"I'd say it was more eloping, Cupcake."

"But I used you to get the Alchemists off of my back."

Adrian gasped, and mock fainted. He collapsed onto the bed, mocking extreme hurt. Lissa and Rose collapsed into giggles, holding each other.

"You used me?! How dare you!" Adrian yelled, then pretended to cry.

"Oh, hush. Here, take Declan. I have to get everything ready for our trip, and Declan still needs to get dressed." Sydney said, rolling her eyes. She set Declan down on the bed, where he looked around at all of them with those huge brown eyes of his.

"Aw. Hey, Declan. Do you want Mommy to dress you? She'll do a better job than Daddy." Adrian cooed, ruffling Declan's hair.

"Mami tiene que tener todo listo para hoy. Además, papá tiene un mejor sentido de la moda que mamá. Haz que te vista, Declan." Sydney purred to Declan, and walked out of the room.

"Come on, Rose. Let's go help Sydney." Lissa said, pulling Rose up. They ran to catch up with Sydney.

"Lissa's the last of us to get married! After her wedding, we won't take anyone else dress shopping..." Rose said sadly.

"There's Jailbait. I have a feeling she and Eddie might get married." Lissa said thoughtfully.

"Adrian talks about Jill all the time. He thinks it'll happen. Eddie's technically Adrian's guardian, but Adrian and I have been talking. We're considering getting another guardian and letting Jill have him. Then they can get married." Sydney said.

"Well, if you're going to get a new guardian, it'll have to be someone who knows us. And someone who doesn't care that you're human. I would say Neil, but..." Rose said.

"I wish Neil would be our guardian. It would keep him close to Declan. But Neil would refuse. Nothing could make him come close to Declan." Sydney said wistfully.

There was silence for a moment. It hung heavily over them, as both Rose and Sydney remembered the night Declan had been born.

Lissa felt bad. She had no semblance of an idea what had happened. All of the involved parties still remain silent about the topic. It leads Lissa to believe that it really must have been as awful as they make it out to be.

"Anyway. I want to stop at Wawa on our way there to grab lunch. Have you guys ever had Wawa?" Sydney said, looking at them.

"I have," said Rose, "Dimitri and I were going on a trip, and he took me there. Oh my God. Wawa is the best."

"I've never had Wawa," Lissa said softly. Sydney and Rose stared at her with wide eyes.

\--

The car was stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey. Dimitri and Sydney had fought over who would drive, and, ultimately, Sydney won. It was her car, after all. So Adrian sat in the passenger seat next to her. Lissa and Christian sat in the middle with Declan, while Rose and Dimitri sat in the back.

Lissa knew it was only a matter of time before Rose and Dimitri started doing some explicit behaviors. Because of this, she made it a point to engage in long conversations with Sydney, Adrian, and Christian.

"Can we listen to an audiobook? It's called Dune. It's a science fiction novel. I've been listening to it. It's amazing." Sydney said.

Lissa had no objection. "Go right ahead," she said.

Sydney started the CD, and Lissa rested her head on Christian's shoulder. Lissa could hear the faint sound of Dimitri and Rose kissing. Lissa sighed, and pressed herself closer to Christian.

Christian shifted, almost uncomfortably. Lissa looked up at him. His face was flushed red, and he looked very uncomfortable. Lissa settled back into his arms, and found herself face to face with Christian's crotch.

His very erect crotch.

Lissa's eyes widened. His pants were still on, thank God. There was, however, quite the tent at the crotch of his pants. Lissa looked up at Christian again in alarm.

"Christian?" she whispered.

"Sorry, Lissa... I just hear them in the back. I can't control it." Christian whispered back.

Lissa looked back down at Christian's erection. She had seen it before. She had touched it before. She was no virgin. Lissa knew how big Christian was, and he was much bigger than Aaron.

Aaron never was a very exciting experience for Lissa. She had told Rose once about sex. She had said there were no 'fireworks' or 'stars aligning'. However, that was when it was with Aaron. With Christian, there were.

Her fingers gently traced the outline of Christian's manhood. She looked up and found Adrian staring at her through the rearview mirror.

"Lissa," Adrian said, "What are you doing, and how can I join?"

"Adrian!" Sydney shouted.

"It was a joke!" Adrian said.

Sydney swerved the car off of the highway, and into the parking lot of a gas station. She swiveled in her seat and glared at all of them.

"You realize my child is in this car, right? This car has seen sex, sure. But that was Adrian and I. Alone. If you really want to ruin the day and piss me off, go ahead. Do whatever the hell you want. But you're paying when I get it cleaned. And you're the reason my son has no childhood. Are we clear?" Sydney said, glaring daggers into their souls.

They all gulped, and Lissa watched, disappointed, as Christian's manhood slowly softened and hid again. She craned her head to look at Rose, and it was worse than she thought.

Rose was straddling Dimitri. She was shirtless and braless, as was Dimitri. When Lissa examined further, she found that Rose was holding Dimitri's length in her hands, which was even bigger than Christian's.

"Cockblock..." Rose muttered. Sydney whirled in her seat again.

"Excuse me?"

"Bitch. Asshole."

"Slut. Whore." Sydney said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Sydney. Calm down, Celery Stick." Adrian said gently, laying his hand on hers. "Let's not get too crazy."

"Look at that bitch! Our son is in the car, Adrian. Are you serious? She needs to stop!"

"I know, baby. I know." Adrian said, leaning over and kissing her gently. "Let me deal with this, okay?" Sydney nodded, and turned back around in her seat sullenly.

Adrian turned around, grinning. "Now. Rose is so undeniably sexy and it hurts that I can't watch this. But please stop. We'll try this over again sometime when Declan isn't in the car. And I will join."

Rose laughs and grins at him. "Sure. Sounds fabulous."

"Now put your shirt and bra back on," Adrian said, raising an eyebrow. Rose rolled her eyes, but pulled her shirt on after clasping her bra around her.

"Sit down and buckle your seatbelt," Sydney said, still furious.

"I'm sorry, Sydney... I didn't mean to ruin the day," Lissa said, pure guilt in her voice. Being the sensitive girl she is, she hated hurting other people or making them angry.

"It's okay, your highness. It's mostly Rose's fault." Sydney said gently, looking at Lissa through the rearview mirror. Lissa nodded and curled back up against Christian shyly. 

"Whatever. At least Dimitri's happy." Rose said, kissing Dimitri. Dimitri shook his head in exasperation.

"Yes, Roza. You made me very happy. But Lady Ivashkov isn't very happy. You should apologize." Dimitri said, looking at Rose.

"Fine. I'm so sorry, Sydney." Rose said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Thank you," Sydney said softly, and started the car.


	6. Chapter 6

Shortly after entering the amusement park, they had sundered into two groups; the thrill - seekers and the babysitters.

Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Christian went with the thrill - seekers. Lissa and Sydney tended to Declan.

This meant that, while the thrill - seekers rode the rides, Lissa and Sydney sat outside the exit with Declan. Lissa had latched herself to Declan and refused to release his small, sleeping body from her embrace.

She had felt so peculiar since a few weeks ago. In a way, it horrified her to ride the roller coasters. Usually, she would fancy riding all of the rides. But something made her hesitate. Something in her stomach made her essentially terrified at the mere idea of even boarding the rides.

Except for the kid's rides. She rode those delightfully with Declan.

"Queen Dragomir?" Sydney said softly.

"Call me Lissa. Please."

"Okay, Lissa. Are you okay? You seem... off?" she breathed, looking at her.

"I'm fine. Just tired. And my back hurts." Lissa lamented, bouncing Declan on her knee.

"Would you wish for me to call a guardian to come deliver you home?"

"Oh, no. That's not necessary at all. I'm fine." Lissa said, looking at her curiously. Sydney nodded, then shuffled through her bag until she ascertained a textbook and a notebook. She opened them both and began reading and taking notes.

Lissa wanted to question what it was for, but she didn't want to interrupt Sydney. She had seen Sydney's ferocity when Christian did.

Reading her mind, Sydney turned to Lissa. "For college. I'm majoring in architecture."

Lissa nodded curtly. "I planned on going to college. I enrolled and everything. But then I became queen. So I gave it up."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Looking away, Lissa said nothing. She had missed the greatest opportunity of her life, and there was nothing she could have done or could do now.

She was the queen of the Moroi. She couldn't indulge herself in the simple pleasures of education. She couldn't jeopardize the safety of her people.

They must have her support.

\--

When Christian and the others got off the ride, Christian wandered over to Lissa. He scooped her up into his arms and pulled her lissome body to him.

"We're parting from the others. We're going on a date." Christian murmured gently into her ear, holding her steadfast.

"Okay... I love you." Lissa said, kissing his collarbone; it was all she could reach.

Christian whisked Lissa away from their group, leading her to the Ferris wheel.

Romantic, Lissa thought. Cliché, but so romantic.

As they boarded, Christian benevolently stroked Lissa's arms. He was instinctively warming her up, and Lissa leaned into him responsively.

Christian knew just how to help her - just how to keep her from the cutting and the scratching.

He was the one to make sure there was nothing sharp or hazardous in the entire Royal Mansion that was in Lissa's reach. He was the one who had Rose's cell number on quick dial just in case Lissa had a spirit attack. He was the one who refused to let the doctors take Lissa away during her spirit attacks.

Lissa pressed her lips to Christian's cheek gently. Christian moved his head promptly so that her lips connected to his. Lissa opened her eyes to see Christian's expression turn beatific, and she sighed contentedly. Their kiss was affectionate and tender, but full of unbridled vehemence.

They were hindered by the ringing of a bell, which indicated that it was their turn to board the Ferris wheel. Christian helped Lissa into the car and sat down alongside her.

Christian's arm bound itself around Lissa, drawing her close to his body. Lissa leaned her head on his shoulder, only to have it snapped up again at the wheel's abrupt movement.

Calmingly, Christian pushed her head back to his shoulder. "Shh, Lissa. My queen."

Lissa looked up at him. "You don't have to call me that."

Christian shrugged. "You are. You're my queen. You're omnipotent, you're stalwart. I should bow down to you." Lissa looked away, a blush rising on her cheeks.

"You flatter me," she murmured. 

"You love me."

"Because you're perfect, Christian. Lord Ozera. My Lord Ozera." Lissa said. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

Christian's eyes shifted from admiration to curiosity and confusion. Lissa cocked her head to the side. "What, Christian? Is something wrong?"

"No. I just... There's something different. About you. You've been this way for a few weeks. Ever since... Hmm." Christian said thoughtfully.

"Since what?" Lissa said accusingly.

"Nothing. But I think Sydney and Rose could help you more than I could." Christian said. "For now, let's just be in love." Christian kissed her forehead and drew her into his lap. Lissa rested her head on his shoulder and bound her arms around his biceps.

For a moroi, Christian had exceptional biceps. Most moroi would never think twice of going to a gym, and see it as a dhampir's game.

Not Christian.

He wanted to be tough enough to protect Lissa. Maybe not as adequately as a guardian could, but enough that he could fight. 

Christian began combing his fingers through her hair, and Lissa had never felt so content in her entire life. Everything was balancing out. Rose and Dimitri were finally married, and even considering a child. Adrian had quit smoking and drinking, for good, and had figured out how to handle his spirit. Sydney was no longer being hounded by dozens of pissed off Alchemists. Christian's reputation was finally on the mend, and Lissa was set to marry him in a few month's time.

Lissa's appointment to try on wedding dresses was set for next week. She couldn't wait, but she was also terrified. Anything could go wrong.

But it was Christian. He'd love Lissa if she came down the aisle in a trash bag.

\--

Lissa found herself starving by the time the ride operators forced the royal couple off the Ferris wheel. She turned to Christian and moped.

"God, Rose is having a negative influence on you. Jeez." Christian said, rolling his eyes. "You're hungry, then?" Lissa nodded. "Okay. Fine. We'll go find Rose and the others and go find some food. Okay?"

"Thank you, Christian. I love you so much." Lissa said successfully, turning and kissing Christian. He shook his head, grinning.

Christian took her hand, and they began wandering down a hill through the park. The two wove between teenagers and little kids, and hundreds of parents pushing strollers. Lissa's heart skipped a beat looking at every tiny baby in every stroller, and it took all of her self-control to keep herself from taking one of them.

Eventually, they found the rest of their group. It was no shock that they were waiting in line at a restaurant. Before Lissa could even say hello to any of them, Christian gestured to Sydney and Rose to follow him. Lissa watched curiously as they obeyed, and the three sat down on a bench under a tree.

"Your Highness, what would you like to eat? The park management has offered to make anything you'd like, even if it's not on the menu. We've told them that you're royalty from a small European nation." Dimitri said, his Russian accent mingling with his rough English.

"I'll just have a hamburger and a Coke. Thank you, Dimitri." Lissa said, distracted. She was watching as Christian spoke quickly to the girls, and they nodded back. She flinched when a chin was placed on her shoulder. Lissa looked over and saw that Adrian was standing behind her, resting his head against her.

"Hey, Queen," Adrian said, his signature cocky smile spread like butter across his face.

"Hi, Adrian. Do you know what they're talking about?"

"Yup," he replied, pulling gently on her hair.

"Care to enlighten me?" Lissa said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Not really. It's a secret. Shh." Adrian put a finger to her lips, grinning madly.

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll just have to find out for myself what you losers are up to."

"Loser? I'm not a loser. Someone this sexy can't be a loser."

"You aren't as sexy as you think you are, Adrian."

"Sydney thinks I'm sexy."

"Sydney also thinks learning is fun," Lissa said, raising an eyebrow.

"Learning is fun," Sydney said, walking up to them. Christian and Rose were behind her, still murmuring to each other. "And Adrian is sexy." Sydney gave Adrian a gentle kiss on his forehead, shifting a sleeping Declan to her other hip.

Lissa caught only a few words of what Christian and Rose were saying. She could not decipher what this 'secret' was, and it made her furious. It was obvious that the 'secret' was about her.

"Would anyone like to inform me of what you were all talking about?" Lissa said, putting her hands on her hips and pursing her lips. Everyone looked at each other, then back at Lissa.

"Liss, let's get food, then sit and talk," Rose said gently, wrapping an arm around Lissa and hugging her gently. Lissa knew she was right. They were definitely talking about her.

\--

"Okay, let's figure this out. Lissa, you've been acting different lately. We all notice it." Rose said.

"What?! Where's this coming from?!" Lissa looked at them, alarm radiating off of her. Looking around the table, she saw a mixture of concern and a mixture of excitement on each of their faces.

"Lissa, we want to take you to the doctor," Christian said gently, taking her hand in his. Lissa stood up quickly, and fear filled her like oxygen.

"What?!" Lissa said fearfully.

"It's okay. We want to take you to the doctor because... Well, we think..." Christian trailed off and looked away.

"We think you might be pregnant," Rose finished for Christian. Lissa's eyes widened and her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Are you serious? You think I'm pregnant?" Lissa gaped.

"Maybe. We want to make sure, your Highness." Dimitri said.

"I scheduled a doctor appointment already. I want to leave after we finish eating so we can go straight from here." Sydney said while helping Declan eat. Christian helped Lissa sit back down, and gave her a careful kiss.

"Lissa, do you know what this means? If you're pregnant, then we can have a family." Christian said, looking at her. His eyes relayed excitement, hope, and unending beauty.

"I know. I just... I didn't think I'd want a baby this soon. We aren't even married." Lissa murmured, looking down.

"I know, Lissa. But... Imagine." Christian said.

"Lissa. Just go to the appointment. We'll figure out what to do from there, okay?" Rose said, her voice reflecting a gentleness that was almost too rare.

Lissa didn't even think to nod, but it happened before she knew it.

It seemed Lissa was going to see her gynecologist. It might be the most horrifying event of her life, no matter what outcome was seen as final.

She'd been getting used to the thought of being a mother already.


	7. Chapter 7

"Her Royal Highness, Queen Vasilisa Dragomir," a bored, high - pitched voice called out. "Room 6."

Rose nudged Lissa, pushing her up. Lissa stood, and walked over to a door labeled 'Examination Rooms'. Before going in, she turned and looked at her entourage.

They were all smiling, and Adrian gave her a thumbs up. Lissa rolled her eyes before turning and walking through the doorway.

The hall was brightly lit, and smelled of cleansing alcohol. The white walls showed off many colorful posters, some of which were labeled "It's a woman's right to choose!" and "Best and most effective birth control pill on the market!" 

Lissa had to tear her eyes from the wall. She never thought she'd be pregnant, and now, being so close to her examination room and so close to the thought of bearing Christian's baby, it was overwhelmingly amazing.

But at the same time, she had an anxiety attack.

Everything started to sway, and she could feel her palms getting sweaty and her heart racing, faster, faster. Her mouth dried up, and her legs felt so weak -- like gelatin. Her thoughts began to spiral out of control, and she started to cry.

Hot tears sprang from her eyes and trailed their way down her face. Lissa fell against the wall, hugging herself tightly.

If I'm pregnant what will they say what will they do they'll impeach me they'll kill the baby Christian will be heartbroken my parents would be ashamed Andre would be furious and everything would fall apart and Rose and Dimitri would have to divorce and Rose would - Lissa's incessant thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she felt a warm, strong hand on her shoulder.

"Lissa?" Christian's gentle voice said. Lissa turned around and buried her face into him, crying and trembling. "Lissa, stop that. You're hurting yourself."

 

Lissa looked down, and cried out. Her forearm was covered in blood, and so were her nails. Her skin was shredded apart in such a horrifying way - shredded by her nails.

Christian, seeing that Lissa had no idea, quickly pulled her back to him. He held her tight to his chest, murmuring gently into her ear. "It's okay. I'll clean it up."

"Excuse me? Queen Vasilisa, come with me to Room 6 - Oh my Lord! Queen Vasilisa, are you alright?!"

"Don't say a word," Christian said menacingly. "Stay silent. Lead me to the room, and leave. Go get bandages and disinfectant."

"But-"

"GO!" Christian roared, glaring intently at her. "Don't make me get her Royal Guard."

The short woman pointed to a door to her right, then turned and ran down the hallway, her long black hair flying out behind her. Christian gently lifted Lissa in his arms, cradling her and holding her so she couldn't see. He carried her into the room, and laid her down on the bed. Lissa's eyes were shut tight, and she was still crying.

"Oh, Lissa..." Christian said, and kissed her gently. "I love you. Now, let me clean up your arm, okay? Just a little bit of blood. Nothing to worry about. I promise."

Christian ransacked the many cabinets lining the walls of the examination room until he found a washcloth. He ran it under the water, and gently dabbed it on the cuts of Lissa's arm. She gave out a soft whimper, and then a sigh.

The door opened, and the woman entered again. "Lord Ozera, allow me - "

"What did I say? Shut up! You don't understand her. You don't understand anything. Leave her alone! I'm the only one who can help her." Christian growled, and Lissa could vaguely hear fear and a slight tremble in his voice.

"Christian," Lissa murmured. Christian immediately ran to her side and kissed all over her face.

"Shh, Liss. I'm going to clean it now. The blood's gone. Just a small cut. A paper cut, really." Lissa could tell Christian was lying, but said nothing about it. She hissed as the antiseptic stung, and whimpered again.

"Lord Ozera, plea-" Christian gave one more sharp look at the woman, then pulled out his phone.

"Hey, Siri, call Dimitri Belikov." Christian said, narrowing his eyes at the woman. Her eyes widened, and she gave a soft yelp. The phone clicked.

"Belikov."

"It's Christian. Can you come to Room 6? I need help."

"I'll bring Roza. We'll be there in a minute."

And they were. Lissa heard the door creak open, and cracked her eyes open enough to see Dimitri and Rose enter.

Rose made a soft noise. "Oh, Liss..."

"Lord Ozera, what can I help you with?" Dimitri said, trying to ignore Lissa's arm.

"Get her out of here. The nurse. Report her for insubordination and disrespect to Her Majesty and Royal Highness Queen Vasilisa Dragomir." Christian said, glaring at the woman one last time. Dimitri gave a curt nod.

"Ma'am, I need you to come with me," Dimitri said.

"Don't charge her of anything. Please... She just wanted to help, Dimitri." Lissa said weakly. Dimitri nodded again, and led her out. Rose followed, to Lissa's relief. She didn't want Rose to see her like this.

Christian kissed her again, and gently began dabbing the cloth on the cuts again. Lissa supposed the blood had been, for the most part, cleaned up, because Christian laid a piece of gauze over her arm and began wrapping it up. His hands were so gentle; his calloused, fire - burnt fingers found a way to be delicate and careful with her.

When her arm was wrapped and cleaned, Christian sat down on the bed next to her. He reached out and ran a lock of her hair through his fingers. "I love you, Liss. Do you think you'd be calm enough for me to get a doctor for the ultrasound?" Lissa nodded, and Christian gave her a soft smile. "Okay. You stay here, okay? I'll be right back. I promise." He kissed her forehead once more before turning and leaving, making a point to close the door behind him.

Lissa looked down at her arm. Blood had already found a way to seep through the bandages, though it wasn't as bad as she had imagined. Christian had wrapped from her wrist all the way up to her elbow. She wondered if he had done that just to be consistent, as he often did, or if he did it because the cuts were that far up her arm.

She had to see.

Pulling the bandages back the tiniest bit, she found that the latter was the correct answer. All Lissa could see was a small cut, but it was enough to put the tears back in her eyes.

"Oh, Christian..." she whispered.

As if on cue, the door opened again. Christian stepped in first, then the doctor.

"Your Highness," the new woman said. This one had flaming red hair that was pulled back into a tight ponytail. She sunk to her knees.

Lissa barely had enough energy to tell her to stand. "I..."

"You can stand. Her Majesty is recovering from an anxiety attack." Christian said, and the woman stood.

"My name is Dr. Trina," she said, eyeing the bandages on Lissa's arm. Sheepishly, Lissa slid her arm under her jacket; rather, Christian's jacket.

Christian walked over to Lissa and sat beside her, then gave her a small, gentle hug. "Queen Vasilisa needs to take a pregnancy test. She's been having some major symptoms."

Dr. Trish nodded. "Okay. When was your last period, dear?"

Lissa shrugged. How was she supposed to know that? "I'm not sure. It's on my phone..." Christian fished her phone out of her purse, unlocked it, and opened her calendar.

"It was about six weeks ago," Christian looked up at the woman.

Dr. Trish nodded again. "Then we'll skip the pregnancy test. A baby will show up on an ultrasound after five weeks." She turned and grabbed a tube of gel. "Pull up your shirt, please. This gel will be cold."

Lissa pulled up her shirt and tucked it into the underwire of her bra. The woman spread a small amount of the gel onto Lissa's stomach. As Lissa watched her do it, she swore she noticed the slightest of bumps.

"Christian? I think I see a bump. My stomach looks rounder than usual, right?" Christian nodded, and held her hand tighter.

"Now we'll perform the actual ultrasound. Your highness, I'll just be pressing this into your stomach." Dr. Trish said, holding up a small, white device. Lissa gave a small nod, and she could sense how weak she really looked.

Lissa lost track of time from there. She was so exhausted that she could not think, so she didn't. After a while, she felt Christian's hand on her shoulder.

"Liss. Look."

She raised her head, and looked to where Christian was pointing. Her ultrasound was being broadcast to a computer monitor. If you looked hard enough, you could make out a bigger blob attached to a smaller blob.

And the two blobs, together, formed the shape of a baby.

\--

Lissa was returned to the waiting room in a wheelchair. Christian had suggested this, after Lissa had stood, and collapsed promptly. When Christian pushed her through the doorway, Rose and Adrian immediately jumped out of their chairs.

Adrian reached her first. "What happened? Rose and Dimitri just ran back there randomly, then came back. They won't tell me a thing."

"Nothing, Adrian. I just..." Lissa said weakly, her voice trembling. Christian placed a gentle hand on her head.

"No, Lissa. You don't have to do anything. Just rest. We're going home, and you're going to bed." Christian said. "Adrian, you'll ask no questions unless she feels better and is willing to answer them."

Adrian rolled his eyes, and lead them all out into the parking lot. It was quite a hassle, trying to get Lissa into the car, until Christian decided to scoop her up and into the car. He sat in the middle seat and held Lissa, letting her curl up against him.

Before long, Lissa, her fiancee, and her entourage had arrived back at the Royal Mansion. Again, Christian scooped her out of the car. This time, he carried her bridal style back into the house and up to their penthouse.

Before they entered, Lissa turned to the others. Adrian, Sydney, Dimitri, and Rose were all watching her, concern in their eyes - Rose's especially.

"Lissa? Are you pregnant?" Rose said softly, and Lissa saw Rose's eyes burn with tears. In response, Lissa's eyes filled with tears, too.

"I-" Lissa's voice cracked. "I am. I'm pregnant."

Rose's face lit up and rushed to where Christian was still holding her. Rose wrapped her arms around anything of Lissa that she could reach.

"Then I have to start planning a baby shower," Rose whispered into Lissa's ear, causing Lissa to giggle softly.


End file.
